Open Events/ 2014 World Open NORMS!
At least nine players earned interna- tional master norms at this event, one of the strongest norm showings in any American open, according to TD Steve Immitt.
Sean Nagle (2504) Christopher Gu (2409 Atulya Shetty (2413) Mika Brattain (2436) Ethan Li (2286) Kevin Wang (2417)
Denys Shmelov (2445) (third international master norm) Kassa Korley (2462)
(second international master norm)
Razvan Preotu (2385) (played eight grandmasters)
GM Conrad Holt (in an archival photo from the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis)
20. ... Qb6 The queen escapes the X-ray of the d1-
rook while continuing to protect the d4- pawn. For now, the main strategic question is: Is the d4-pawn a strength or weakness?
21. Bf4 Nc5 Houdini’s recommendation would have
been unrealistic to follow during the actual game: 21. ... Rac8 22. Bxe4 Bxe4 23. Nd6 (23. Rfe1 Bc2!? 24. Qxc2 Qxb5 with equality) 23. ... Qxb3 24. axb3 Bc2 25. Nxc8 Rxc8 26. Ra1 a6 27. Rfe1 d3 and it looks as if Black is OK.
22. Qa3 Ne6 23. Bd2 Too active would be 23. Bd6? a6 24.
Bxf8 Bxf8 25. b4 Re8 with a nearly decisive Black advantage. Now White is going to play Nd6 with threats to both the b7-pawn and f5-bishop—Black must develop an antidote.
23. ... Bc2! This move, in conjunction with my next
one, is the most difficult decision I made in the game. The simple 23. ... Rfd8? was impossible due to the obvious 24. Ba5, but 23. ... a5 deserved serious attention. White has a wide range of choices here, but the best continuation seems to be 24. Qd6!? (weaker is 24. Nd6 Bc2 25. Rde1 d3 with an excellent position—all of Black’s pieces are very active; or 24. Bd5 Rfd8 25. Qf3 Rd7 with a complicated position in which Black’s chances are at least not worse in my opinion) 24. ... Qxd6 25. Nxd6 Bc2. Now the Exchange sacrifice provides
hopes for an advantage: 26. Nxb7! (in case of 26. Rde1 Ra6 27. Nxb7 a4 28. Na5 Rb8 29. b4 axb3 30. axb3 e.p. Bf8! Black has no problems whatsoever) 26. ... Bxd1 27. Rxd1 a4 28. Na5. Despite being an Ex change down, only White can be better in this endgame. He has a pair of strong bishops and soon will create two danger ous connect -
ed passed pawns on the queenside. 28. ... Rab8 29. b4 axb3 e.p. 30. axb3 d3 31. b4 Nd4 32. b5 Rfe8 33. Kf1 Nxf3 34. gxf3 Bf8 35. Bc3 Rbd8 36. b6 and Black still has to work to reach a draw. Of course, over the board I saw perhaps a tiny part of this and made my choice mainly by intuition.
24. Rde1 d3 I was not afraid to lock my bishop in at
c2. It still controls the important square d1, but its main function is to defend my strong passer that I have pinned my hopes upon.
25. b3!
Kovalyov did not spend much time on
this very good prophylactic move. Its main goal is to renew the idea of playing Nd6 (the b2-pawn is no longer vulnerable) and to
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